KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A record wave of college basketball players have left school early for the chance to get paid by the NBA — despite the league’s uncertain labor situation.
For some, like Kentucky’s John Wall and Ohio State’s Evan Turner, it’s probably a good idea. They are the likely top two picks.
Some of the others? Not so much.
A record 74 players, including 23 from overseas, declared for the June 24 NBA draft. That means the number of undrafted players will likely go up, too. A year ago, 49 players left school early and 17 went undrafted.
Some players jumped in because the NBA’s current collective bargaining agreement runs only through 2010-11, leaving open the possibility of a lockout or at least a reduced rookie salary scale.
